Summary:  South Florida’s recycling programs are not as effective as they should be.  County leaders should take actions to require agencies to recycle, and to improve public awareness and compliance with recycling obligations.

My Fellow Florida Residents,

South Florida has a serious environmental problem.  While Broward and Miami-Dade Counties have instituted recycling programs, there is widespread apathy and lack of interest in participating in those recycling efforts.  For example, when you go to throw out your plastic water bottle, trash cans are not readily available in high foot traffic areas, and there are no signs of recycling bins anywhere. It is disheartening to see so many other parts of the country doing their parts to recycle and to protect the environment by making trash and recycling collection easier and mandatory.  In contrast, here in South Florida, we are letting our beautiful wild life that we take for granted die from plastic and other items callously discarded onto our beautiful beaches.  It is time for a change, and that change must come from the top.  Our county leaders must recognize the need to improve South Florida’s recycling programs, and institute regulations that make the recycling programs that are in place more effective.  To that end, Broward and Miami-Dade Counties should do the following:

1) Raise public awareness of the counties’ recycling programs though educational efforts, such as placing public service advertisements through radio, television, print media, and online websites.  The more the public is informed about the availability and the need to participate in the recycling program, the more likely it is the public will participate in those programs.
 

2) Make trash and recycling collection easier for the public.  In high foot traffic areas, the counties should make trash and recycling receptacles more plentiful so that people do not just discard item on sidewalks, streets, parks, or beaches.  For residences and businesses, counties should automatically distribute recycling bins so that people will have a means to recycle items that can be recycled.
 

3) Set an example by mandating that all county agencies participate in the county recycling program.  In Broward County, the county’s recycling website “encourages,” but does not require agencies to recycle.  Counties must lead by example by requiring the full participation of agencies in the counties’ recycling programs.
 

4) Pass ordinances that enforce recycling, and make efforts to enforce those ordinances.  There are many multi-family dwelling complexes that give lip service to recycling, and even charge residents a “recycling fee.”  However, they often just collect the fee without actually doing any recycling.  Rather than relying on passive means, such as public self-reporting of recycling violations, the counties should proactively enforce recycling laws by performing inspections and levying fines on scofflaws that refuse to comply with recycling requirements.
 

If you are sick and tired of the lack of recycling in South Florida, then please help by signing this petition to make a change.  Enough is enough. Please sign and share this petition widely.

Thank you.

Dirteeninc